MIDO is adamant that Boro’s hapless FA Cup quarter-final exit will not be followed by relegation from the Premier League.
The Egypt international was unable to make any impression from the bench as Boro did the walk of shame from the competition in Sunday’s disastrous 2-0 defeat to Championship Cardiff.
A black cloud is circling over Boro’s heads on the back of their spineless defeat, but the former Tottenham striker insists they will quickly get over the hammer blow of missing out on a Wembley trip - and seal their top flight safety.
Gareth Southgate’s demoralised troops are hovering just four points from the relegation zone and face two testing league trips to Aston Villa and Arsenal this week.
Mido admits Boro are one of a batch of sides in demotion danger but stressed that he and his team-mates will not allow the season to spiral out of control.
“If you look at the league now there are at least eight teams who you can say are in trouble,” he said.
“We are still in trouble. We aren’t out of it yet as everyone can see.
“But I think with the quality we have here and with the spirit we have in the dressing room, we will do well.”
To do that, Boro must improve drastically on their aimless reverse to the Bluebirds and Mido reiterated his desire to help spark a revival after missing a large chunk of the season - including his country’s African Nations Cup win - through injury.
The 25-year-old is back after spending more than three months on the sidelines with a pubic bone fracture and raring to make an impact in Boro’s final 10 games.
“I’m not at my best yet but I know I’m going to be there soon with the way I’m working,” he said.
“The most important thing for me is to finish the season well.
“If I do well in the last seven or eight games and score some goals and help the team to get points in the Premier League it will make up for the disappointment of getting injured.
“I’m always trying to do everything for the team and the club and if you ask anyone at our training ground they will tell you how I’m working so hard to get back to my top form.”
Mido has his own strike target and believes club record buy Afonso Alves will have a big say in Boro’s finish.But he has taken the Brazilian to one side to explain that he must learn how to deal with the rough and tumble of English football after arriving from Heerenveen in Holland.
Alves - still waiting for his first Boro goal - was shocked by the ferocity of Chris Morgan’s challenges as Boro beat Sheffield United in their fifth round replay.
But Mido relishes the physical nature of the domestic game, even joking that he would handle the most uncompromising centre-backs on the street.
“I don’t want to underestimate the Dutch league, it’s a very good league for young lads who are talents and coming up and I’ve played there myself,” he said.
“I was lucky enough to play for a massive club like Ajax and win trophies but the pace is a lot faster here and the defenders are tougher.
“Afonso was a little bit surprised in the Sheffield United game when he saw how physical the defenders are.
“After the game we were speaking and I said to him that in this country you face that in every game.
“For me it isn’t a problem because I know about it. Players like John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Kolo Toure at Arsenal are all tough, but if I fight any of these defenders in the street I will take them! But for Afonso it’s been a little bit different so far because he didn’t know. He thought Morgan wanted to hurt him and this is the difference mentally. Afonso needs time to get up to the pace of English football but you can see in training he is a very good signing for us.”
Boro have been linked with VFL Bochum midfielder Daniel Imhof.
The 30-year-old has scored twice in the Bundesliga this season but can leave the German club on a free transfer this summer.
The Egypt international was unable to make any impression from the bench as Boro did the walk of shame from the competition in Sunday’s disastrous 2-0 defeat to Championship Cardiff.
A black cloud is circling over Boro’s heads on the back of their spineless defeat, but the former Tottenham striker insists they will quickly get over the hammer blow of missing out on a Wembley trip - and seal their top flight safety.
Gareth Southgate’s demoralised troops are hovering just four points from the relegation zone and face two testing league trips to Aston Villa and Arsenal this week.
Mido admits Boro are one of a batch of sides in demotion danger but stressed that he and his team-mates will not allow the season to spiral out of control.
“If you look at the league now there are at least eight teams who you can say are in trouble,” he said.
“We are still in trouble. We aren’t out of it yet as everyone can see.
“But I think with the quality we have here and with the spirit we have in the dressing room, we will do well.”
To do that, Boro must improve drastically on their aimless reverse to the Bluebirds and Mido reiterated his desire to help spark a revival after missing a large chunk of the season - including his country’s African Nations Cup win - through injury.
The 25-year-old is back after spending more than three months on the sidelines with a pubic bone fracture and raring to make an impact in Boro’s final 10 games.
“I’m not at my best yet but I know I’m going to be there soon with the way I’m working,” he said.
“The most important thing for me is to finish the season well.
“If I do well in the last seven or eight games and score some goals and help the team to get points in the Premier League it will make up for the disappointment of getting injured.
“I’m always trying to do everything for the team and the club and if you ask anyone at our training ground they will tell you how I’m working so hard to get back to my top form.”
Mido has his own strike target and believes club record buy Afonso Alves will have a big say in Boro’s finish.But he has taken the Brazilian to one side to explain that he must learn how to deal with the rough and tumble of English football after arriving from Heerenveen in Holland.
Alves - still waiting for his first Boro goal - was shocked by the ferocity of Chris Morgan’s challenges as Boro beat Sheffield United in their fifth round replay.
But Mido relishes the physical nature of the domestic game, even joking that he would handle the most uncompromising centre-backs on the street.
“I don’t want to underestimate the Dutch league, it’s a very good league for young lads who are talents and coming up and I’ve played there myself,” he said.
“I was lucky enough to play for a massive club like Ajax and win trophies but the pace is a lot faster here and the defenders are tougher.
“Afonso was a little bit surprised in the Sheffield United game when he saw how physical the defenders are.
“After the game we were speaking and I said to him that in this country you face that in every game.
“For me it isn’t a problem because I know about it. Players like John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Kolo Toure at Arsenal are all tough, but if I fight any of these defenders in the street I will take them! But for Afonso it’s been a little bit different so far because he didn’t know. He thought Morgan wanted to hurt him and this is the difference mentally. Afonso needs time to get up to the pace of English football but you can see in training he is a very good signing for us.”
Boro have been linked with VFL Bochum midfielder Daniel Imhof.
The 30-year-old has scored twice in the Bundesliga this season but can leave the German club on a free transfer this summer.
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